Stamp-vending machine.



J OI-IN I). MADDEN, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS. I

STAMP-VENDIN Gr MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

yPatented June 4, 1918.

Application filed June 26, 1917. Serial No. 177,050.

To all/whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. MADDEN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Stamp-Vending Machine; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a stamp vending machine, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby a stamp will be ejected when it is manipulated after inserting the necessary coin or coins into the machine.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a stamp vending machine which is comparatively simpleand inexpensive in its construction., which can be easily operated, which will not eject a stamp until after the necessary coin has been inserted in the slot, and which handles the stamps without danger of .mutilating` or injuring the same.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a stamp vending machine oonstructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the machine, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the lower end of the vertically reciprocating plunger, together with parts associated therewith, being a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the upper end of the plunger, looking a't the same from a position at right angles to that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the trip means which coperates'with the main operating lever to release the coin, when the machine is actuated.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character A designates a base upon which the mechanism is mounted, and B an inclosing casing. A vertically disposed operating plunger 1 extends upwardly from the base eing provided at its lower end with a stem la which is slidably mounted within a guide sleeve lb projecting from .the base. A coil spring 2 surrounds the stem 1a and bears against the shoulder at the upper end of the stem 1a to hold the plunger normally at the upper limit of its movement. The stamp ejecting mechanism is constructed and arranged to be operated by the vertical movements of the plunger 1, as will be hereafter described. The upper end of the plunger 1 is bifurcated and has the main operating lever 3 pivotally mounted within the bifurcation, the outer end of the lever being provided with a suitable finger-'piece 3 for convenience in manipulating the same, while the inner end thereof is normally in engagement with the weighted slide i which is mounted within the vertical guides 5. The handle 3a ofthe operating lever is weighted at 3* so as to hold the other endfof the lever in a loose engagement with the weight 4f. The inner end of the lever 3 is mounted to swing between the two complemental halves 6 of a slotted coin guide, the upper end of the coin guide being pivotally connected at 7 to the upper end of the plunger 1, while the lower end of the coin guide is hingedly connected at 8 to a cross head 9 which slides back and forth in substantially horizontally disposed guideways 10. The inner edges of the complemental members 6 are grooved or slotted at 6a to receive a coin C which when in operative position spans the space between the members 6 and extends across the path of the inner end of the operating lever 3. The grooved edges of the complemental halves 6 of the guide member are out away at their lower ends, as indicated at 11, to provide for the discharge or release of the coin after the machine has been actuated. In a. similar manner, the grooved edges of the members 6 are cut away at the upper ends thereof, as A indicated at 12, and pivotally connected at 13 to the lower end of a coin chute 14, said chute being formed in two sections which telescope over each other at 14a?, the upper section of the chute opening through the exterior' of the casing B sothat a coin can readily be inserted into the same, while the lower member is curved and arranged to deflect the coin into the grooved edges 61 of the coin guide arm or lever 6. The upper edge of the main lever 3 is provided with a coin stop 15 which normally projects between the complemental members 6 of the coin guide lever toV engage a coin and arrest the movement thereof before it reaches the lower end 'of the member 6 and is discharged through the cut-away portion11 thereof.

With the coin in position in the coin guide lever .6` and engaged by the coin stop 15 of the main lever 3, it will be obvious that if the finger-piece 3a at the outer end of the main lever is forced downwardly the inner end of the lever will be held in a firm engagement with the coin C so that the plunger 1 will bel moved downwardly against the action of the coil spring 2. Upon the release of the finger-piece the tension of the coil spring 2 will move the vertical plunger l upv toits original position. 1f an attempt is made to actuate the machine without first inserting the necessary coin or coins in the slot, the inner end of the main lever 3 will merely swing upwardly between the complemental halves of the coin guide arm 6, lifting the weighted slide 4;, and the vertical plunger 1 will not be forced downwardly by the manipulation of the handle 3a.

Projecting laterally from one side of the plunger 1 is a stub shaft 16 upon which a pair of oppositely facing pawls 17 and 18 are mounted. The pawl 17 is arranged for engagement with the ratchet wheel l19 of a horizontal shaft 20 to rotate the said shaft on the downward movement of the plunger, while the pawl 18 is arranged for engagement with the ratchet wheel 21 of a second horizontal shaft 22 to rotate the said shaft on the return movement of the plunger The two shafts 20 and 22 are arranged in a horizontal plane on opposite sides of the plunger 1 and have a parallel relation to each other, the ends of the .shafts being shown as journaled within suitable support-s 23.

riIhe shaft 20 is provided with a polygonal feed block 24 said block being shown in thepresent instance as being rectangular in shape, and each face of the block being the exact size and configuration of a single postage stamp. This block unrolls the stamps in strip form from a supply roll 25, drawing them through suitable tension rollers- 26. The edges of the feed block 24 are preferably formed with lteeth 27 for engagement with the pcrforations between the stamps. The opposite helzontal shafti22 isprovidedwith a stamp dischargeblock 29 which is similar in shape to the feed block 24 and is arranged at one side thereof, the two blocks being properly spaced to clear each other as they are rotated, and to provide the necessary clearance foi` a cutting blade 30 which is utilized to sever the stamps from the strip before they are discharged from the machine. A pair of stripping fingers 28 project upwardly between the two stamp feeding blocks 24 and 29, said stripping fingers being carried by a shaft 28;L and normally held by. the action of a spring 2Sb in a yielding engagement with grooves' 28C extending. peripherally around the block 24. The upper ends ofthe stripping fingers 28 terminate substantially Hush with the upper faces, of the blocks and assist in guiding the end of the stamp strip across the space between the blocks. These strippingv fingers will also` prevent the stamps from sticking to the feed block 24 and being carried around with the same, instead of directed over upon the discharge block 29. A spring pressed roller 31 may be provided for successive engagement with the notches or depressions in an end plate 32 applied to eachy of the blocks 24 and 29 for the purpose of bringing the blocks to rest at alll times with the upper faces thereof horizontally disposed.

Upon the downward movement, of the plunger 1 the pawl 17, as previously described, will engage the ratchet wheel 19and rotate the horizontal shaft 2O and feed block 24: substantially a oneequarter revolution, thereby moving the stamp at the end of the strip over upon the upper face of the stamp discharge block 29. A continued downward movement of the vertical plunger 1 brings spring mounted presser blocks 33 into a yielding engagement with the top of the blocks 24 and 29, thereby holding the stamps securely in engagement therewith. While the stamps are thus held firmly in position, the slotted end 34a of a link 34 which is pivotally connected to a lug 35 projecting laterally from the plunger 1 engages the pin 86 of the cutting blade 30 and swings the latter downwardly into operative position, thereby severing the stampk which was previously fed to the discharge block 29 from the end of the stamp strip. This cutting blade 30 is shown as carried by a horizontal shaft 37 which is arranged transversely above the shafts 2O and 22 and is mounted upon suitable supports 88. Upon the Areturn movement of the plunger 1 the presser blocks 33 are raised into inoperative position and the pawl '18 brought into engagement with thel ratchet. wheel 21 Aof the horizontal shaft 22 to rotate theblock 29 and discharge the stamp which was previously separated yfrom the end of the strip by the cutting blade, said stamp dropping into a suitable box. or receptacle '39 from which it can be easily withdrawn. The presser blocks 33 may be slidably mounted upon the vertically disposed outer ends of brackets 40 which project laterally from the plunger l, upward movement of the presser blocks being resisted by springs 41.

The inner arm of the main operating lever 3 is provided at an intermediate point in its length with a downwardly extending inclined latch arm 42 which is adapted to be engaged by one of the arms of an elbow shaped latch lever 43 to holdthe inner arm of the operating lever depressed during the return movement of the plunger. This latch lever 43 is suitably mounted upon a shaft 44 and the vertical arm thereof is engaged by a spring 45 which normally holds it in operative position, although it can swing against the action of the spring to become engaged with the latch member 42 or disengaged therefrom. During the initial portion of the return movement of the plunger 1 the inner arm of the main operating lever 3 is held depressed by the latch lever 43, there by withdrawing the coin stop 15 from the path of the coin through the coin guide arm 6 and permitting the coin which was previously in position within the guide arm'to slide to the lower end thereof and be discharged through the cut away portion 12 thereof. When the vertical plunger 1 reaches the limit of its return movement the latch arm 42 becomes forcibly disengaged from the latch lever 43 so that the main lever swings back to its original position with the end thereof in engagement with the weighted slide 4 and the coin stop 15 thereof projecting between the two complemental halves of the coin guide arm 6. The mechanism is thus in position to eject another stamp if a coin is inserted in the slot and the operating lever manipulated. If it is desired to provide for ej ecting a stamp when two coins are inserted in the slot, the cut away portion 11 at the lower end of the coin guide lever 6 can be extended farther along the upper halves of the grooved edges of the guide lever. so that the first coin deposited in the machine will merely serve as a stop to hold the second coin in operative position, and if the lever is manipulated without inserting a second coin, the first coin will merely be unseated from the guide lever and ejected without operating the stamp feeding mechanism.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A stamp vending machine including a vertically reciprocating plunger, means for operating the plunger, a air of horizontally disposed shafts arrange adjacent the plunger, a stamp feeding block on one of the shafts, a complemental stamp ejecting block on the other shaft, means for guiding a strip of stamps to the feeding block, means actuated by the downward n'iovement of the plunger t0 turn the feeding block and move the end of the stamp strip over upon the ejecting block, cutting means for severing the end of the stamp strip, and means actuatedby the return movement of the plunger for turning the discharge block to eject the severed stamp.

2. A stamp vending machine including a vertically reciprocating plunger, means for operating the plunger, a pair of horizontally disposed shafts arranged adjacent the plun ger, a stamp feeding block on one of the shafts, a complemental stamp ejecting block on the other shaft, means for guiding a strip of stamps to the feeding block, ratchets upon the respective shafts, a. pawl carried by the plunger for engagement with one of the ratchets to rotate the shaft of the stamp feeding block and move the end of the stamp strip over upon the ejecting block on the downward movement of the plunger, cutting means for severing the end of the stamp strip, a second pawl carried by the plunger for engagement with the other ratchet on the return movement of the plunger to rotate the ejecting block and discharge the severed stamp.

3. A stamp vending machine including a vertically reciprocating plunger, means for j operating the plunger, a pair of horizontally disposed shafts arranged adjacent the plunger, a stamp feeding block on one of the u shafts, a complemental stamp ejecting block on the other shaft, said blocks being formed with square faces to receive the stamps, means for guiding a strip of stamps to the feeding block, means actuated by the downward movement of the plunger to turn the feeding block and move the end of the stamp strip over upon the ejecting block, presser means carried by the plunger and mounted to be brought into engagement with the stamps to hold them against Jthe faces of the blocks, cutting means actuated by the plunger for severing the end of the stamp strip while itis clamped in position by the presser means, and means actuated by the return movement of the plunger for turning the eject-i n g block to discharge the severed stamp.

4. A stamp vending machine including a vertically reciprocating plunger, means for operating the plunger, a pair of horizontally disposed shafts arranged adjacent to the plunger, a stamp feeding block on one of the shafts. a complemental stamp ejecting block on the other shaft. said blocks being formed with square faces to receive the stamps. means for guiding a strip of stamps to the feeding block, means actuated by the downward movement of the plunger to turn the feeding block and move the end of the stamp strip over upon the ejecting block, a pair of spring actuated presser blocks car- 139 red by' the plunger and mounted .Lto yield-V the plunger, forrotating the ejecting block1 to discharge the severed stamp.

5.l A .stamp vending machineincluding a verticallyl reciprocating plunger, meansv yfor operating-'ther plunger, a=pair of horizontall-y disposed shafts arranged *adjacent a. the

plunger, a stamp feedingv block on one of a the shafts, a complemental `stamp ejecting block on the' other shaft, said blocks being.

formedwvithv square facesv to. receive the stamps, means for guiding afstrip. of stamps tosthe `feeding block, ratohetsuponithe ref5spective shafts, apawl carried by they plunf ger for engagement with one oftheratchets v to rotate the.y shaft of the stamplfeeding block and move the end ofthostamp strip overupon the ejecting block onzthe down@ 26;'zward movement of the plunger, spring actu-` ated presser blocks carried by theplunger and mountedto bearfjvieldably against. the i square-faces of the blocks to hold the stamps 1n engagement therewith, cuttingmeans ac-V 3041. tuated by the. plungeil for severing` vlthe end lof the stamp strip whiletit is Aengaged bythe y uponythe third vshaftto. swinghetween the presser blocks, anda second vpawl .carried byl the plungerl for engagement, with Y- the other ratchet to rotate the ejecting block iand discharge the severed Vstamp von thefreturnv movement of the plunger.

6. .A-stamp vending Amachine includinga vertically reciprocating plunger, means for.V

operating thel plunger, a pair of horizon- 40 tally disposed and parallel. shafts arranged on opposite sides of the plunger, a stamp feeding block on one. of ,the shafts, .a .com-r plemental sta mpv ectingblock -on the other. shaft, means for guiding a stripof stamps to.:

-the feeding block, means actuatedbythe downward movement of the plunger to turn thefeeding blockf and ,move Vthe end of ethe stamp, strip Yover upon .the ejecting block,

a third shaft extending transversely ofthe 1 esagera parallel shafts, zu swinging kni-fc r blade. mounted` zupoir lthethifrd :shaft and :arranged i to swingbetween'theftwo blocks to severth'e' endV of ther stamp strip, a link connection between the knife .blade and. the plunger for i actuating the kniferi blade afteri the feed? block haslbeen turned, and'v meansactuated bylthe returnzmoi-*ement ofthe plungerforrotating :the ej ecting block to discharge the severed :stampi 7. A stamp vending. machine including a; `vertically reciprocating kplunger,- means for'operatingthefplnnger, a'pair of horizontally'` disposed parallel shafts arranged oni oppositefsides :off the. plunger, a stamp feedingeblockon Vone lof the shafts, a stamp` ejecting block on theother `shaft, said blocks beingfformed with square faces .adapted to receive the-stamps, ratch'ets.v upon the respectiveparalflel shafts,` a:p'awl carried by the plunger for engaging fone of the ratchets to rotate= the vshaft'of the. stamp feeding block and move'theend of a stamp:l strip over upon!thelcjectingblock on the initial downwardy movement of f the plunger,- presser.' blocks carried by" the plunger and: arranged to'bear against the's'quare facesgof the blocks tohold the Vstamp strip inr a firm engagement therewithh afterl the actuation'bf the :feedv block, a third yshaft ext-endingftransversely of theparalflel shafts, a knife blade mountedl blocksvand vsever theend ofthe stamp strip,- a link connectiony .between y the v knife blade and. they plunger for actuating the.` knife blade whenathe plunger reaches the lower limitfofits -rnovement, and-a second pawl carried :by-:the .plunger for engagement with the `.other .ratchet to rotatezthe ej ecting; blockand-.discharge the severed` stamp on the lreturn movement tofthei plunger.

VIn` testimony whereof I have signed my' namefto.:thisspecifioation inthe presence-0f two subscribing, witnesses.

l JOHN D. MADDEN.'

Witnesses:

WILLIAM Ff,l Gian, ALFRED f BRITLAND.

Gemeen! ithis patent-may 4ble obtained. for.- fivey cents each,v byaddressing thefcommissioner of Intenta.,r

Wamhingtou,IMI.v 

